Rick Perry Israel
Where Perry does substantively differ from Obama is the unbalanced way he would use America’s financial power to pressure various actors. Like Obama, Perry never dares mention the billions of dollars in U.S. aid that flow to Israel nor does he suggest that those monies could ever be jeopardized by Israeli stubbornness. But Perry did say that the U.S. should stop paying its dues to the U.N. if it approves the Palestinian statehood resolution and withdraw funding for the Palestinian Authority if it moves ahead with the resolution. Perry also complained that Obama did not provide sufficient support to Iranian protesters and implied that the regime would have been overthrown if he had.
As Ben Smith of Politico notes, some of the hardliners at Perry’s speech -- including Deputy Speaker of the Israeli Knesset Danny Danon, who spoke after Perry -- oppose a two state solution and think Israel should annex the West Bank entirely. Perry, did not adopt that position, saying in response to a question that he supports a two state solution. But, his general reflex was to answer every question with the most right wing position possible. For instance, when asked whether Israel should be permitted to continue building settlements he said, “I think so.” He also said he is “for Jerusalem being united under Israeli rule,” and for moving the U.S. embassy there.
If Perry actually pursued these policies in office he would be a bit to the right of Obama, but also of George W. Bush. Bush, after all, called for Israel to stop building settlements in his “Roadmap to Peace.”
While it may have no basis in Obama’s policy, the perception is quite real. Perry introduced a slew of leaders of Orthodox Jewish and pro-Israel groups who complained that Obama has neglected Israel’s needs. Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-NY) an Orthodox power broker who’s backing of Republican Bob Turner was crucial to Turner’s victory in Anthony Weiner’s former district last week, brought down the house with thundering declarations that the voters of New York’s ninth district sent a message to Obama that he “has the wrong policy on Israel.” What exactly that policy is that Hikind finds so objectionable remains unclear, even after I pressed him repeatedly for details after the event. The only meaningful example Hikind gave was that Obama “halted the peace process” by demanding that Israel stop settlement construction ion the Occupied Territories. (Like any theocrat Hikind calls the West Bank “Judea and Samaria.”) It does seem that as an African-American whose father was Muslim, Obama faces an unfounded suspicion that he is hostile to Israel despite all evidence to the contrary. “A lot of us were concerned about him before he was elected,” says Hikind. Needless to say, Obama’s statements regarding Israel on the campaign trail and his voting record in the Senate gave them no legitimate cause for concern. But there rumors spread on web sites and email chains of mysterious provenance that attacked Obama’s beliefs on Israel with racially tinged smears.
Hikind is bent out of shape about other issues that can be described as tangential at most to Israel’s security. For example, Hikind bellowed that he is appalled that the U.S. has an ambassador in Damascus despite the Syrian government’s repression of its people.
But however inexplicable the notion that Obama does not support Israel may be, Hikind certainly holds it. “It would be almost beyond the pale to support Obama, having watched him the last three years,” Hikind declared. I asked Hikind, what would it take for Obama to win his vote in 2012. “Change would have to happen fast and I’d have to believe it’s real,” says Hikind, noting that politicians offer make insincere policy shifts during campaign season. One might say that Hikind and other Orthodox voters are putting Obama in an impossible bind by saying he must change his stance on Israel but that any change will be viewed with suspicion. But since their policy beefs with Obama are so obscure to begin with, the point is probably moot. Fundamentally, what Perry and others said, is that any attempt to be balanced or fair in our handling of the Palestinians and Israelis is unacceptable. Israel is our ally, Hamas and Fatah are terrorists who threaten them, and our job is to back Israel without nuance. How that advances the peace process or Israel’s long term security is unclear. Perry said he would tell Israel, “help is on the way!” Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of help they need.
source:yahoo
Labels: News , Rick Perry Israel
